3 Reasons NOT to Play By the Rules

3 Reasons NOT to Play By the Rules

Go directly to jail. Do not pass go, do not collect $200.

And so you sit, imprisoned until you roll doubles, have done your time, or, if you’re lucky, can use your get-out-of-jail-free card that you’ve been saving for a moment such as this exact one. That’s how it works, that’s the RULES.

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Unless you play with a 5-year-old. Then, the rules are whatever she says. And quite frankly, there’s a lot to be learned from a young person’s version of Monopoly.

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The next time you find yourself creating rules that keep you imprisoned or stuck in a rut, consider these 3 liberating ideas to set you free:

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1) The only thing separating you from your freedom is the rules you’ve created. In life, these rules sometimes sound like, “I can’t take time off because the office would fall apart without me.” or, “I can’t meet up with friends because I don’t want to be the third wheel.” Enough with the limitations! They are entirely of your own making. When you decide to play by your own rules, the game becomes a lot easier and a lot more fun.

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2) Rolling doubles happens more frequently when you are looking for them. Ever noticed that you tend to roll doubles with greater frequency when you are stuck in jail? I do. Call it luck, call it attention or call it a summoning of the cats eyes, it’s all the same. And it has great implications for your relationships. When you are looking for something, whether it be flaws, trouble, someone to keep you company or love, you’re much more likely to find it when you’re paying attention.

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3) If you can’t get out of a rut on your own, someone can help. In Monopoly, someone is always willing to sell you their get-out-of-jail card. In life, it’s important to enlist the help of those who can support you to get where you want to go when you can’t seem to get there on your own. Rely on the resources and support of the people around you and eventually, you’ll be free to run the board!